upham



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. B. UPHAM.

STORE SERVICE SYSTEM.

No. 304,585. Patented Sept p2, 1884.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, A. B. UPHAM.

STORE SERVIGE SYSTEM.

No. 304,585. Patented Sept.- 2, 1884.-

Inventor NTE STATES ARTEMAS B. UPHAM, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY \V. WELLS AND RICHARD A. GOLDSBROUGH, OF SAME PLACE.

BPECIFICAIIQN forming part of Letters Patent No.'304-,585, dated September 2, 1884-.

Application filed March .23, 1883. (No model.)

B IO parts, and in which Figure 1 represents one construction; Fig. 2, different position of the same; Fig. 3, modification; Fig. 4, perfected construction; Figs. 5, 6, details. I The object of this invention is the construction of an improved system whereby to transmit cash or parcels back and forth between two fixed points; and it consists, essentially, v of a wire fastened at one end over the cashiers 2o desk, its other end being vertically adjustable above a clerks counter, and provided with a grooved wheel having a depending receptacle, which, by rolling back and forth on said wire, according as its movable end is elevated or depressed, conveys in said receptacle the cash and bundle to the cashier and thence back to the clerk.

In the drawings, 0 represents the cashiers desk; A, the wire; B, the receptacle depend- 3o ing from the wheel or wheels B. D is an endless cord running over a pulley, P, fastened to the ceiling F of the room. Said cord D is kept tight by means of a weighted pulley, P. The movable end of the wire A, being fast- 3 5 ened to this cord D, is held and carried thereby either up near the ceiling, as in Fig. 1, or

down within reach of the clerks hand, as in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 is shown a hooked rod, JK, by

means of which the main body of the wire A is held up out of reach of passers-by, while the end holding the carrier B can be depressed low enoughto suit the clerk. In case it is not desired to elevate the cashier s desk, I secure the end of the wire going to said place to a vertically-movable slide, M. The construction shown in Fig. i is the one that I consider most desirable for all ordinary use, and consists of bars L and L fastened to the ceiling F, and provided with stay-wires O 0", slides M and M on said bars, and the wire A, running taut from slide to slide. Said slides M M are made heavy, and support the one the other by means of the cord or wire D", running up over the pulleys I The slide M is provided with a spring-catch, It, by which it is held at the foot ofthe bar I and the slide M is made heavier than M, so that unless the latter is held by the spring-catch It the former will drop to its lowest position and the other will rise. Said slide M is raised to its highest position by means of the cord D, passing over the pulley P. The collars O O serve as stops to prevent the slides M M from being raised higher or lower than is necessary to get sufficient slope of the wire A to give the carrier B sureness in its trip. The wire A is fastened to a spring at one of the slides M to keep it taut, and to the slide at its other end by a screw, to take up the slack caused by stretch- 7o ing of the wire.

I construct my carrier with two grooved wheels, B, secured together by a suitable frame, in which is a spring-wheel, B A small cord, B, is wound about said springwheel B, and has a cup-shaped receptacle,

B, fastened to its end. The cars B in front of both wheels B prevent said wheels from getting off from the wire A.

In using this store-service system, the slide M is kept down when not in use, and the carrier B B is consequently immediately over the clerkshead. If, now, the clerk desires to send a bill to be changed to the cashier, he reaches up to the small cord B*, which is hanging down 8 5 'from the receptacle B, and pulls the same down to him, the cord B unwinding on the spring-wheel B He then, having placed within said receptacle the money or other small parcel, releases his hold upon the cord 0 B*, the cord B is wound up again by the spring-wheel B until the open top of the said receptacle reaches the disk B, and is covered thereby. The clerk now pulls on the cord D until the slide M reaches the upper stop, 0, and the other slide, M is lowered thereby to its lower stop, 0, onto which its spring R catches. The clerk has now to give no more attention to the carrier, which rolls downward toward the cashiers desk 0. Vhen the [OO carrier B reaches said place, which may be made known to the cashier by its striking a small bell, the receptacle is drawn down, the cash removed, change inserted, and the cord released. The springcatch B being discugaged from the stop 0, the slides change their relative heights, the carrier B gravitates back to the clerk, who again pulls down the receptacle l3, and, having removed its contents, lets it wind up to be ready for further use.

I design the spring-wheel B to be provided with a centrifugal catch, if desired, so that the receptacle B can be left hanging at the end of its unwound cord II".

The receptacle l3, instead of being secured to the carrier-wheels, as shown, can be hooked thereon and removed by means of a suitable handle or rod detachable from the same after its securing to said wheels.

In Fig. 6 is shown the carrier so constructed as to be removable bodily from the wire or cord forming its track, part of the frame being cut away for this purpose. In this con struction the ears B are most important, as serving not only for preventing the wheels from running off from the wire, but in placing the carrier upon the wire said ears direct the wire exactly to the grooves of the wheels. The carrier can therefore be removed from and hooked back upon the wire without extra care, since these cars prevent the wire from getting between the sides of the wheels and their bearings.

I do not restrict myself entirely to these 0011- structions shown, though that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 seems at present the most desirable.

In the preceding description I have set forth the way in which I construct each individual carrier and wire controlling mechanism; but in my storeservice system entire there are as many wires and carriers thereon as there are clerks. The cashiers desk must be located as equidistant as possible from all the clerks and their respective counters, that there may be no extremely long distances for any one or two carriers to travel. From rods suspended over this central cashiers desk, from the desk itself, or from a circular framework fastened about the desk, different wires secured there to radiate to the different counters of the I store. Instead of having each clerk have his I own wire and carrier, one wire and carrier, if the clerks are very numerous, may do for each two clerks. In case the room is not very long, the cashier may be located at one end of the store and the wires center therefrom to the different counters. This system therefore resembles in appearance a huge cobweb. In this system there is no probability of the change or parcel being sent by the cashier to the wrong clerk. This is evident when we recall that the carriers are not to be taken off from their wires by the cashier. hen a carrier is sent to him, he removes from it the cash or bundle contained therein, makes the change and ties up the bundle, replaces the same into the carrier-receptacle, which is empty, touches the releasingspring, and allows the carrier to travel back to the clerk sending it.

\Vh at I claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a store-service system, a cord or wire fastened immovably at one extremity, and having means whereby its other end is vertically adjustable above and below the level of said iixed end, in combination with a carrier caused to gravitate back and forth upon said wire by the elevation and depression of the adjustable end of the same.

2. A wire or cord, A, fastened immovably at one extremity, and secured at its other end to a slide movable upon a vertical bar, in combination with means whereby said slide may be elevated to and depressed upon said bar, for the purpose set forth.

3. A wire or cord fastened immovably at one extremity and secured at its other end to a slide movable upon. a vertical bar, in combination with a cord and pulley whereby said slide is elevated, and a catch and means whereby said slide is retained and released from such elevated position, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this th day of March, 1883.

ARTEMAS I3. UPIIAM.

lVitnesses:

NICHOLAS GoLnsnnoUc n, Brain). A. GOLDSBROUGII. 

